


grow & change

by goldenthunderstorms



Category: Once & Future Series – Amy Rose Capetta and Cory McCarthy
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm going through SITS withdrawals, It's Not Much But It's Honest Work, M/M, So here's this, Sword in the Stars Spoilers, and found we had NO fanfiction, everyone is married now, like big time, like ten years after SITS, love some good old Merlin and Val fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:54:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23706472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenthunderstorms/pseuds/goldenthunderstorms
Summary: “Hmm?” Merlin hums, half in reply, half in pleasure.“Ever thought about having kids?” Val asks.This surprises Merlin. “What?” he asks, turning to look at Val.Val grins teasingly. “You worked some magic for Gwen and Ari. Think you could work some magic for us?” he asks, leaning close so their noses were almost touching.---Merlin and Val talk about their future.
Relationships: Ara Azar/Gweneviere of Lionel, Merlin (Once & Future) & Ara Azar, Merlin (Once & Future)/Percival (Once & Future)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	grow & change

**Author's Note:**

> I just finished Sword in the Stars and was devastated by the fact that this series has NO FIC so I wrote this short, cute one-shot set just after Avalon is born.

Merlin’s heart swells when he looks at his family. Right now, Ari and Gwen sit curled up on a couch with baby Avalon in their arms. Gwen looks exhausted, Avalon having just been born mere days ago. Ari is practically glowing with pride. They both look so  _ happy _ , and Merlin is happy for them. Really, he’s just happy full stop.

“Kai,” Gwen whisper shouts so as not to wake the sleeping baby, “come hold your sister. My arms are tired.”

Merlin does as Gwen asks but her words aren’t lost on him. Avalon is his sister. He hadn’t even fully realized that. He has a  _ sister _ . It’s such a stunning and wonderful realization. Merlin feels a sudden brotherly fondness and a protectiveness over her. 

“No running from evil time witches for you,” he murmurs.

Gwen laughs softly. “I think this family has seen enough peril for forty lifetimes.”

“She’s our baby, lady. She’ll find trouble or she’ll make it,” Ari says.

“You’re probably right,” Gwen sighs, leaning her head on Ari’s shoulder. “But right now, I can dream.” Gwen’s eyes flutter shut and Merlin is sure she’s going to fall asleep soon. 

He returns to his spot on the other couch, with Val. When Merlin sits, Val puts an arm around Merlin’s shoulders.

“Hey, Kai?” Val presses small, chaste kisses to Merlin’s jaw.

“Hmm?” Merlin hums, half in reply, half in pleasure.

“Ever thought about having kids?” Val asks.

This surprises Merlin. “What?” he asks, turning to look at Val.

Val grins teasingly. “You worked some magic for Gwen and Ari. Think you could work some magic for us?” he asks, leaning close so their noses were almost touching.

“Hey, hey, what are you two planning over there?” Ari asks. “I just became a real mom. I’m not ready to be a grandma.”

“Too late,” Val says, still grinning as he wraps his arm around Merlin’s waist and sets his chin on Merlin’s shoulder. “Kai’s already agreed to carry my child.” Merlin barks out a laugh and Ari shushes him with a meaningful look at Avalon.

“Sorry,” Merlin whispers.

“I don’t know if I would trust you with a baby, old man,” Ari teases.

  
  


That evening, Merlin and Val lie in bed. Val’s head is against Merlin’s chest, every now and then pressing a kiss to Merlin’s shoulder. Merlin runs his fingers through Val’s curls. They lay there in comfortable silence for a while as they often do. Finally, Merlin has to break the silence.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?”

“Hmm?” Val responds, clearly having dozed off. “What did I say?”

“About . . . about having kids.”

Val is sitting up now, looking at Merlin with a curious gaze. He’s awake now. “Yeah,” he says. “Haven’t you ever thought about having kids? With anyone?” Val takes one of Merlin’s hands and laces their fingers.

“Not really, no,” Merlin admits. “For most centuries it wasn’t even really an option and even when someone like me  _ could  _ have kids, I didn’t really see family as a possibility.”

“You have a family now,” Val says, putting his free hand on the back of Merlin’s neck.

“I know,” Merlin says. “I never thought I’d have this either.” He leans forward and kisses Val. Val smiles against the kiss. He slowly pulls Merlin down over him.

They both have to come up for air eventually and they just stare at each other, lovesick fools that they are. Merlin stopped time again but they’re very used to that by now.

Merlin lets himself take in the sight of Val. The line of his jaw, the curve of his shoulder, the shine in his eyes. He stares at the face that, a little over ten years ago, he could have never imagined he would be allowed a future with. A  _ real _ future where they’ll grow and change and eventually it will end and won’t restart. Merlin can see the change when he looks at them. He sees it in the stubble on Val’s jaw. He sees it in the silver that has started shooting through his own hair. He hears it every time he gets to call Val his husband.

“Your time magic will  _ never  _ stop being sexy,” Val says breathlessly.

Merlin laughs and his head falls forward, pressing his face into the crook of Val’s neck. Val’s runs his fingers up the back of merlin’s neck and into his hair.

“Really, though, what do you think?” Val asks.

Merlin looks up at him. “About kids?” 

Val nods. “I want a family with you, Kairos.” His voice is barely above a whisper. “I know we have a family, but I want one of our own.” He cups Merlin’s cheek in his hand, gently tracing Merlin’s bottom lip with his thumb. “We deserve to have things that make us stupidly happy, if that’s something you want, soon or in the far future.”

Val is giving Merlin a look so loving and tender that Merlin thinks he might melt, or cry, or both. Merlin is so damn  _ in love  _ with Val that sometimes it still knocks the wind out of him. Val is still looking at him, a little expectant, so Merlin considers the possibility. Children of his own. Children of his and Val’s. He isn’t sure how good of a father he would be. Val would be the best father a child could ask for. But Merlin could learn. Isn’t that why he broke the cycle? Set right his aging? So he could continue to grow and change with these people he would die for and this man he loves?

“I think it is,” Merlin says. “That’s something I want, Val.”

Val’s face breaks into a smile so wide that Merlin can’t help but kiss him again. It’s a little less of a lazy kiss than the one before it, open-mouthed and passionate. Val’s hands start to roam.

“How long do we give Ari and Gwen before they’re grandmas? A week?”

Merlin laughs. “Give them a month at least.”


End file.
